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20 November 2014

Delta orders 25 A350-900.

Airbus has won the competition for 50 wide-body airplanes and they will sell Delta 25 A350-900s and 25 A330-900s.

According to the information published as a global exclusive –Delta wanted to announce this at Investors’ Day on 11/December, the day before the A350 MSN6´s hand over by Qatar- Boeing hoped to sell Delta the 787-9 and also offered 5 new 777-200LRs as bridge lift until delivery slots for the 789 were available.

For Airbus, winning Delta is a major coup because of the sheer size of the deal, Delta’s status -this is one of the Big 3 US carriers- and because this gives a good boost to the A330neo program and adds a prestigious name to the customer list.

“When the most successful U.S. airline today – a company that has flown passengers around the world for more than 80 years, has 80-thousand employees and 165 million customers in a year – says ‘yes we want 50 more of your widebody planes’, you can’t debate the fact that it is a massive endorsement of your product line,” said John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer – Customers.

“Airbus is unique in offering an optimized long-range choice in aircraft that will allow Delta to continue to modernize its fleet and customize its use with the most efficient and comfortable aircraft available.”

As published by Leeham News, Delta wants the airplanes beginning in 2017 and Boeing couldn’t find early delivery slots for the 789. On the other hand Airbus was able to move the A350 skyline around enough to provide the airplane early.

The A350-900 is intended for the Pacific and the A330-900 for the Atlantic.